Self-watering planter assembly

ABSTRACT

A planter insert and planter insert assembly. In an embodiment, the planter insert assembly includes a planter housing with an upper portion and a bottom reservoir portion with a bottom interior surface; a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, wherein the tray is disposed within the upper portion of the planter housing, the tray having a bottom surface with a plurality of perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and a tray support disposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, the tray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the tray support.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/198,343 filed on Mar. 5, 2014, now allowed, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference. The Ser. No. 14/198,343 application isa continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/920,988filed on Jun. 18, 2013, now pending, and of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/043,814 filed on Oct. 1, 2013, now pending.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to apparatuses and inserts used to provide waterand/or other nutrient/liquid to container-grown plants, and morespecifically to a self-contained and self-watering planter assemblycomprising a fluid-containing planter housing (preferably downwardlytapering for a traditional look and efficient stacking during transportand storage, but not limited thereto), a tray with a bottom surfacehaving perforations and a size that allows it to fit within (orsubstantially within) the upper portion of the planter housing, a traysupport sized and configured to fit within the bottom reservoir portionof the planter housing without taking up a large percentage of reservoirvolume that could otherwise be used to hold nutrient/liquid, at leastone layer of fluid-permeable material sized and positioned to cover theperforations in the tray's bottom surface and also having a hole foreach wicking member used, and at least one wicking member having aminimum length dimension that allows it to extend between the bottomreservoir portion of the planter housing and the tray for one-waytransport of nutrient/liquid from the planter housing to the tray, withadditional length and positioning that allows the wicking member (ormembers collectively) to provide even distribution of nutrient/liquidwithin the tray.

The planter housing also has at least one overfill prevention holethrough its side wall that defines the bottom reservoir portion of theplanter housing by preventing nutrient/liquid therein from movingupwardly through tray perforations and into the plant root interior ofthe tray where it could over-saturate and injure plant roots. The trayalso has interior lifting means near its top edge, preferably but notlimited to two opposed handles configured for prompt and easy trayremoval from, and replacement within, the upper portion of the planterhousing with little disruption to the plants rooted in the tray. Use ofthe lifting members precludes the need for pliers or other graspingtools to provide a strong grip on the edges of the tray to lift itsecurely and in a balanced manner away from its position of use withinthe upper portion of the planter housing. Once the tray support (a frameinsert as shown in the accompanying illustrations, or other) is placedwithin the planter housing, lowering of the tray into the planterhousing causes it to become positioned atop the support, whichpreferably allows the tray to become situated imperceptibly within theplanter housing's upper portion. Should a frame insert be used tosupport the tray and the elevation of the tray is considered too highfor the type of plant used in the tray or the application, the legs ofthe frame insert (typically made from plastic for use in smaller planterhousings) can be easily shortened (for example, by use of a cuttingtool, garden shears, or a multiple scored-and-snap arrangement) toprovide a lowered and more suitable tray elevation. In larger planterhousings of the disclosed embodiments and according to the type of plantgrown and plant growth/medium used, a tray support with a sturdierconstruction may be required to support the increased weight of theplants and plant growth/support medium potentially present. In outdoorapplications, the fluid-permeable material positioned under the plantgrowth/support medium, and over the tray's bottom perforations, allowssurplus rainwater entering the tray, and not immediately needed by plantroots, to enter and refill the bottom reservoir portion of the planterhousing via the tray's perforations and without soil infiltration intothe nutrient/liquid held within the planter housing, with the at leastone elongated wicking member being responsible for upwardnutrient/liquid transfer from the planter housing and into the tray.Wicking members are typically presoaked prior to use to prevent delay intransfer of nutrient/liquid to the plants rooted in the tray. Also,plant roots may be in plant growth/support medium distributed directlyinto the tray, or in one or more drainable pots supported by the tray.

In an embodiment, the planter assembly is self-contained,low-maintenance, and provides a significantly longer self-watering timeperiod for a plant (or plants) having roots supported in the tray thanis obtainable from all known prior art self-watering systems in currentuse today for container-grown plants. Since the planter assembly of thedisclosed embodiments is self-contained, no connections for power orwater are needed for its function, expanding the number of locationswhere it can be used. Inspection of the water level in the bottomreservoir portion of the planter housing may be conducted every fewmonths by promptly and easily lifting and replacing the tray, withnutrient/liquid being added, or other maintenance action taken,according to need. Furthermore, in an embodiment, planter housing andtray volumes are selected to provide a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratiobetween approximately 2:1 and approximately 4:1. In the most preferredembodiments, a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratio of 4:1 is used, and theself-watering time for plants grown indoors is at least two to threemonths. However, longer self-watering time periods have beendemonstrated for plants with low fluid requirements and planterassemblies located outdoors and situated to receive at least occasionalrainwater replenishment. Applications include, but are not limited to,residential and commercial use, including hotels and other commercialbuildings, hospitals, convention centers, college campuses and othereducational facilities, shopping malls, lobbies, hallways and stairlandings, decorative entrances to public and private buildings and otherproperty, including parks and parking garages.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

People enjoy having plants as a part of their surroundings, butdepending upon their location, container-grown plants may require a lotof maintenance. In heated and air-conditioned buildings, humidity isgenerally low, and more frequent watering of indoor plants is typicallyneeded. Furthermore, indoor temperature, sunlight level, air drafts, andpositioning near a door that subjects a plant to frequently changinglocal conditions, can have a significant effect on a plant's need forwater and nutrients, and lead to additional time spent on plantermonitoring and/or maintenance. Container-grown plants that are locatedoutdoors and in patio areas can be subjected to even more variation inambient temperature, sunlight level, and air movement, all of which willaffect plant moisture requirements. In an embodiment, the disclosedplanter assembly provides a means of eliminating the daily labor thatwould otherwise be needed to keep container-grown plants and flowersproperly irrigated for optimal appearance and growth, and also provide asignificantly longer self-watering time period than is obtainable fromall prior art self-watering systems currently sold for container-grownplants. While irrigation devices and systems are known forcontainer-grown plants, no device or system is known with the samestructure, wicking system, a removable tray with interior lifting meansnear its top edge, support means for the tray having a means for promptand easy elevation adjustment, and/or all of the other features andadvantages resulting from the disclosed structure and use.

The prior art invention thought to be the closest to the embodimentsdisclosed herein is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication2008/0303002A1 to Schmidt (Dec. 11, 2008), which also provides a meansof automated irrigation for a planter. However, there are many importantstructural differences between the Schmidt invention and the presentlydisclosed embodiments, which allow the structure disclosed herein toprovide advantages that the Schmidt invention cannot. Although theembodiments of the present disclosure have residential applications, oneof the important considerations for the planter assembly disclosedherein relates to its self-contained use in public areas. Thus, designconsiderations for the embodiments disclosed herein includeinconspicuous/discreet features and components that are less likely tobe disturbed by the curious or unkind public, including reservoirreplenishment via tray perforations instead of the exposed irrigator 30and fill tube 52 of the Schmidt invention that in FIG. 5 of itsdisclosure are shown to extend above the plant/growth medium. Towardthis same goal, tray lifting handles as disclosed herein are madeunobtrusive and do not extend upwardly above the top edge of the tray.

In addition, the embodiment of the Schmidt invention illustrated in FIG.5, with its plant substrate above its water supply volume, shows twovertically-oriented spacers 51 and 51′ positioned in the bottom of aplanter, and a horizontally-extending plate 50 supported upon thespacers 51 and 51′ that define a bottom volume usable as a water supplyvolume, while the space above plate 50 holds the substrate forsupporting plant roots. Without perforations in its plate 10, theSchmidt invention cannot take advantage of rainwater replenishment forits reservoir to provide extended maintenance-free use, one of the maingoals of outdoor embodiments disclosed herein. The Schmidt inventionalso uses a moisture sensor connected to a miniature irrigator 30 thatcycles water from the water supply volume to the substrate only when aminimum moisture threshold is reached. Instead, the wicking member (ormembers) of the embodiments disclosed herein provide even and sufficientmoisture for optimal growth of plants in the tray until moisturesaturation is reached, thus over-watering is prevented and at a reducedcost compared to the more complex structure of the Schmidt invention.

Furthermore, Schmidt's fill tube 52 provides a small diameter conduitfor water replenishment (much less surface area than the embodimentsdisclosed herein provide to take advantage of rainwater replenishmentfor its nutrient or water-filled reservoir), and the proportion of waterto substrate in the embodiment of the Schmidt invention shown in FIG. 5is approximately 1:1. In contrast, the embodiments disclosed herein havea preferred fluid-to-soil preferred ratio is 4:1, with a minimum ratioof 2:1, which increases the length of time between inspections andmaintenance. Furthermore, the Schmidt growth medium, water, spacers 51and 51′, and horizontal plate 50 are all separate elements assembledinto a planter, and each would have to be individually removed therefromwhen cleaning of the planter is needed or desired, and soil andplant/root disruption would also occur. In contrast, removal andreplacement of the tray and frame insert disclosed herein are fast andeasy for maintenance/inspection purposes, saving material and labor costin commercial applications, a benefit not provided by the Schmidtinvention. In addition, legs of the easily height-adjustable frameinsert when used in the planter housing disclosed herein to support theplant-holding tray, may be cut in a minute or less for repositioning ofthe tray, while dismantling the plate and spacers of the Schmidtinvention would take much longer to substitute new spacers having adifferent configuration or size. Furthermore, the overfill preventionhole in the side of the planter housing disclosed herein defines the topof the reservoir and the maximum amount of nutrient/liquid that can bestored. In contrast, in the Schmidt invention its non-perforated plate50 defines the top of its reservoir. No other planter assembly is knownthat functions in the same manner as the embodiments disclosed herein,has the same structure disclosed herein, or provides all of theimportant advantages of the disclosed embodiments.

SUMMARY

A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. Thissummary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basicunderstanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadthof the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of allcontemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key orcritical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of anyor all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one ormore embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is presented later. For convenience, the term “someembodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment ormultiple embodiments of the disclosure.

The embodiments disclosed herein include a planter insert. The planterinsert comprises: a tray defining a containment space for plant supportmedia, the tray having a bottom surface defining a plurality ofperforations, at least one of the perforations allowing for insertion ofat least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewallincluding a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the traydepends from the bottom portion of the sidewall, wherein excess fluid inthe plant support media in the containment space exits the tray throughthe perforations in the bottom surface.

The embodiments disclosed herein also include a planter insert assembly.The planter insert assembly comprises: a planter housing with an upperportion and a bottom reservoir portion with a bottom interior surface; atray defining a containment space for plant support media, wherein thetray is disposed within the upper portion of the planter housing, thetray having a bottom surface with a plurality of perforations allowingfor insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having asidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of thetray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and a tray supportdisposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, thetray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only bythe tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned onthe top surface of the tray support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the most preferred embodiment self-wateringplanter assembly in an assembled configuration and showing its traysituated within the top portion of the planter housing, the top edge ofthe tray not extending above the top edge of the planter housing, thetray also having opposed interior lifting handles near its top edge, theplanter housing having at least one overfill prevention hole through itsside wall that defines a bottom reservoir portion, and one wickingmembers is also shown on top of a fluid-permeable material covering thetray's bottom surface.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the planter assembly in FIG. 1 showingfour partially coiled wicking members each having a downwardly-extendingend of sufficient length to reach the bottom interior surface of theplanter housing shown at the bottom of FIG. 4, fluid-permeable materialpositioned under the wicking members and having four holes each used forinsertion of a different wicking member, a tray having a perforatedbottom surface and opposed interior lifting handles near its top edge,the tray also configured to receive the fluid-permeable material andallow the wicking members to pass through its bottom surface, a frameinsert that supports the tray within the planter housing shown below it,and the reservoir in the bottom portion of the planter housing definedby at least one overfill prevention hole through its side wall.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tray in an embodiment of thedisclosed planter assembly showing its substantially perforated bottomsurface, opposed interior lifting handles near its top edge, and itspreferred downwardly tapering and slightly concave sides that are acost-saving feature that allow it to fit into more than one size ofplanter housing.

FIG. 4 is a sectioned view of the an embodiment of the disclosed planterassembly in an assembled condition and showing the tray atop the frameinsert and both tray and frame insert positioned within the planterhousing, with the frame insert substantially within the bottom portionof the planter housing that functions as a reservoir but with its topsurface positioned above the overfill prevention hole that defines thetop of the reservoir portion of the planter housing, and three wickingmembers positioned atop the fluid-permeable material covering theperforations in the tray's bottom surface.

Numerical references for various embodiments described herein withrespect to the drawings include:

-   1—an embodiment of self-contained and self-watering planter assembly-   2—planter housing of planter assembly 1-   3—overfill prevention hole in planter housing 2 that defines the    bottom portion 4 of planter housing 2 serving as a nutrient/liquid    reservoir-   4—bottom portion of planter housing 2 serving as a nutrient/liquid    reservoir-   5—upper portion of planter housing 2 in which tray 9 is situated    when atop frame insert-   6—interior handle or lifting member (located adjacent to the top    edge 14 of tray 9)-   7—wicking member (used to draw nutrient/liquid from the lower    portion of planter housing 2 and move it upwardly into tray 9, it is    preferably pre-soaked prior to use)-   8—fluid-permeable material (one or more layers can be used to adjust    the rate of gravity flow for downward travel of excess rainwater    into the lower/reservoir portion 4 of planter housing 2)-   9—removable tray-   10—frame insert (situated in the bottom portion 4 of planter housing    2 for support of tray 9)-   11—perforations in the bottom surface of tray 9 (used as drain holes    for rainwater entering tray 4 that cannot be immediately used by    plants, to transfer that surplus rainwater into the lower portion of    planter housing 2 for later upward movement via wicking member or    members 7 into tray 9)-   12—hole in fluid-permeable material 8 used for insertion of a    wicking member 7 (so that one of its ends remains in the bottom    reservoir 4 portion of planter housing 2 and its opposite end is    placed in tray 9)-   13—leg of frame insert 10 (can be shortened to lower elevation of    tray 9 when desired)-   14—top edge of tray 9-   15—top edge of planter housing 2-   16—bottom interior surface of planter housing 2

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-4 show differing views an embodiment of the disclosed planterassembly 1 which provides a significantly longer self-watering timeperiod than is obtainable from all known self-watering andself-contained systems in current use today for container-grown plants.While FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 show tray 9 and planter housing 2, FIG. 3 showsan enlarged view of tray 9. Although the illustrations accompanying thisdisclosure show a self-watering planter assembly 1 having a circularcross-sectional configuration and its sides downwardly tapering, andsuch structure is preferred for the traditional planter look and theefficient stacking during transport and storage provided, planterhousing 1 may have any size or shape, including the cross-sectionalconfiguration of a circle, rectangle, hexagon, or other regular ornon-regular polygon, or an irregular arcuate perimeter configuration. Inaddition, the disclosed planter assembly requires no decorativeenhancement, although it may be made in a variety of colors or havevarious decorative surface texture patterns, designs, imprintedinformation, decals, informational stickers, and/or other decoration orattachment desired for marketing purposes. Applications include, but arenot limited to, daily self-watering of plants in and around residentialhomes, shopping malls, commercial buildings, hotels, convention centers,and college campuses. Advantages of the presently disclosed planterassembly 1 include structure that provides a constant/steady supply ofwater and fertilizer to plants, easy cleaning, no need for limitation tolocations providing municipal power or water supply connections,significantly longer self-watering time periods, durable construction,and easy/prompt installation and assembly.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the an embodiment of the self-watering planterassembly 1 in an assembled configuration and shows planter assembly 1comprising a tray 9 configured for holding plants and theirgrowing/support medium, (or in the alternative potted plants indrainable containers) positioned within the upper portion of a planterhousing 2, with the top edge 14 of tray 9 at about the same elevation asthan the top edge 15 of planter housing 2. Such positioning of top edge14 relative to top edge 15 is typical, but not critical. Although notclearly shown in FIG. 1, but shown in the sectional view of FIG. 4,planter housing 2 has a closed bottom surface 16 and side walls thatdefine a fluid-holding bottom portion 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the planterhousing 2 of planter assembly 1 has a top end with a greater widthdimension than its bottom end, which is not critical, but preferred fora traditional planter look and the efficient stacking during transportand storage. FIG. 1 also shows planter housing 2 having an overfillprevention hole 3 that defines the fluid-holding capability of bottomreservoir portion 4. As shown in FIG. 4, overfill prevention hole 3 mustbe positioned below the interface of tray 9 and its frame (or other)support 10, so that nutrient/liquid (not shown) in the bottom reservoirportion 4 of planter housing 2 will not flow upwardly through theperforations 11 in tray 9 and saturate plant roots, potentially injuringthem. Although FIG. 1 shows the outer surface of planter housing 2unadorned, it may display color and/or textured markings, decorativepatterns, and/or other decorative or informational markings. Inaddition, FIG. 1 shows tray 9 having opposed handles 6 situated near thetop edge 14 of tray 9, which are used to remove and reinstall tray 9 inits usable position relative to planter housing 2 without the use of anygrasping tools. The handles 6 should be sturdy enough to lift tray 9while it is supporting the additional weight of plants and neededsupport/growth medium (not shown). The planter assembly 1 shown in FIG.1 can also be used indoors or outdoors. Perforations 11 in the bottomsurface of tray 9 are not visible in FIG. 1, as they are covered byfluid-permeable material 8. In addition, FIG. 1 shows one wicking member7 positioned atop fluid-permeable material 8, and the hole 12 throughfluid-permeable material 8, that allows the wicking member 7 shown toextend downwardly into the bottom reservoir portion 4 of planter housing2. Although not critical, it is preferred that wicking members arepresoaked in water or nutrient/liquid prior to use. Plant roots may bein growth/support medium distributed directly into the tray, or indrainable pots (not shown). The fluid-permeable material 8 is positionedunder the plant support medium (not shown) held by tray 9, and allowssurplus rainwater to refill the bottom reservoir portion 4 of planterhousing 2 via the perforations 11 of tray 9 in outdoor applicationswithout infiltration of plant support medium downwardly into planterhousing 2. Furthermore, as can be seen in FIG. 1, no connections forpower or water are needed for function of planter assembly 1.

In addition, the size and shape of handles 6 are not critical as long asa good grip is provided for balanced lifting of tray 9. Furthermore, inthe alternative, although not shown and not preferred, it is consideredwithin the scope of the present disclosure for handles 6 to be in theform of a continuously extending and inwardly-extending rim. Also, FIG.1 only shows one overfill prevention hole 3 but in larger planterhousings 2 more than one overfill prevention hole 3 may be used. Thesize and placement of overfill prevention holes 3 can also be differentfrom that shown in FIG. 1 as long as it maximizes the fluid-holdingcapacity of planter housing 2 while concurrently prevents risingnutrient/liquid in planter housing 2 from blocking flow of excessrainwater (not shown) downwardly through the perforations 11 (see FIGS.2 and 3) in the bottom surface of tray 9 via gravity into planterhousing 2. Also, although not limited thereto, in an embodiment, theself-watering planter assembly 1 comprises a base-member-to-tray volumethat is approximately 4:1, although a minimum base-member-to-tray volumeof least 2:1 is also contemplated. When a 4:1 nutrient/liquid-to-soilratio is used, the self-watering time for plants grown indoors is atleast two to three months, and longer self-watering time periods havebeen demonstrated for plants with low fluid requirements and thoseplanter insert assemblies located outdoors and situated to receive atleast occasional rainwater replenishment. In addition to structuralconsiderations needed for tray 9 support, the structure and materialsused for planter housing 2 must also be suitable for holdingfluid/nutrient for extended periods of time without warping, sagging, orother structural alteration or modification. The structure and materialsused for tray 9 must also be suitable for extended exposure tofluid/nutrient without warping, sagging, or other structural alterationor modification, and those used in outdoor applications must beultraviolet (UV) light resistant.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the planter assembly 1 in FIG. 1 thatshows four wicking members 7 each having a downwardly-extending end ofsufficient length to reach the bottom interior surface 16 of planterhousing 2 shown in FIG. 4. The top coiled ends of the wicking members 7shown in FIG. 2 is merely representative, and the manner in which thetop portions of wicking members 7 are positioned across fluid-permeablematerial 8 may be different from that shown. FIG. 2 further showsfluid-permeable material 8 positioned under wicking members 7 and havingfour holes 12 each used for insertion of a different wicking member 7.In addition, FIG. 2 shows tray 9 having a bottom surface with multipleperforations 11. It is contemplated for each hole 12 in fluid-permeablematerial 8 to become aligned with a different perforation 11 in tray 9to allow the wicking member passing through hole 12 to also pass throughthe bottom surface of tray 9, so that all wicking members used canextend downwardly beyond tray 9 to (or close to) the bottom surface 16of planter housing 2. The size of perforations 11, as well as theirplacement/positioning in tray 2, is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2,and the perforations 11 aligned with a hole 12 may have a diameterdimension greater than other perforations 11 that are not aligned with ahole 12. FIG. 2 also shows tray 9 having opposed interior liftinghandles 6 near its top edge 14 and a configuration sized and shaped toreceive the fluid-permeable material 8. The frame insert 10 under tray 9in FIG. 2 supports tray 9 while both are positioned within planterhousing 2. When frame insert 10 is made of plastic, the legs 13 of frameinsert 10 may be optionally trimmed to lower the elevation of tray 9according to need using a cutting tool, such as gardening shears. In thealternative, although not shown, a scored-and-snap shortening of thelegs 13 may be used to lower the elevation of tray 9 within planterhousing 2. Frame insert 10 should take up minimal space within thebottom reservoir portion 4 of planter housing 2 so that a maximum amountof space within the bottom reservoir portion 4 of planter housing 2 canbe used to hold nutrient/liquid for plant irrigation. However, forlarger planter housings 2, a sturdier support (not shown) may be used inplace of frame insert 10 to bear the additional weight of plants andtheir growth/support medium. Below frame insert 10, FIG. 2 shows planterhousing 2 with an unadorned exterior, a preferred rounded top edge 15,and one overfill prevention hole 3. Although FIG. 2 shows planterhousing 2 having only one overfill prevention hole 3 through its sidewall, which is preferred, more overfill prevention holes 3 can bepresent and they may have differing size, shape, and elevation from thatshown in FIG. 2. The elevation of overfill prevention hole or holes 3must be determined to prevent the fluid/nutrient in planter housing 2from blocking the downward gravity-assisted flow of surplus/excessfluid/nutrient from tray 9, through fluid-permeable material 8, and intoplanter housing 2.

Although FIG. 2 shows planter assembly 1 having four wicking members 7,more or less than that number can be used, each extending into planterhousing 2 to draw nutrient/liquid (not shown) from planter housing 2upwardly into soil or other plant growing medium (not shown) supportedby tray 9 around plant roots (not shown). Whether one or multiplewicking members 7 are used, it is preferred that they are distributedsubstantially across material 8 for even distribution of nutrient/liquidto plant roots. Furthermore, the configuration and width dimension ofwicking members 7 used as a part of planter assembly 1 may vary fromthat shown in FIG. 2. The thickness of fluid-permeable material 8, thenumber of layers used, and the type of fabric or other material ormaterials used as a part of fluid-permeable material 8 may varyaccording to the flow rate of nutrient/liquid needed from planterhousing 2 to tray 9 to properly irrigate plants supported by tray 9.Plants may be in drainable pots supported by tray 9, or plant roots maybe established in a growth or support medium (not shown) distributedwithin the tray-like interior surface of tray 9. In addition, in anembodiment, the disclosed planter assembly may be manufactured inseveral sizes to accommodate differing sizes and arrangements ofcontainer-grown plants. It is also preferred that all materials used inplanter assembly 1 be non-toxic, water resistant, and unaffected byextended exposure to soil and nutrient/liquid. Resistance to breakdownfrom ultraviolet (UV) radiation is also a desirable materialconsideration for tray 9 and planter housing 2, although not criticalunless outdoor applications in full sun are contemplated.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of tray 9 in an embodimentplanter assembly 1 that shows its bottom surface having a plurality ofperforations 11 substantially covering its bottom surface. Perforations11 are used as drain holes for transfer of surplus rainwater enteringtray 9 and not immediately usable by plants (not shown) into planterhousing 2 for later upward movement in a metered fashion via a wickingmember or members 7 into tray 9 that does not permit over-watering ofplant roots. In contrast, one or more perforations 11 may be larger indiameter for accommodating thicker wicking members 7, if used. A hole 12in fluid-permeable material 8 is complementary in size, shape, andalignment to that of a correspondingly positioned perforation orperforations 11 used for passage of a wicking member 7 through bothcomponents (tray 9 and fluid-permeable material 8) and into planterhousing 2. Furthermore, the size, number, placement, and spaced-apartdistances of perforations 11 in the bottom surface of tray 9 may varyfrom that shown in FIG. 3. In addition, the wall thickness, wall height,and interior volume of tray 9 may vary according to the type of plantscontemplated for its use. Also, the number, location, size, and shape ofhandles 6 are not limited to that shown in FIG. 3. In addition, soil orplant growth support media may be mounded toward center of tray 9,although center mounding is not critical. Thus, in many embodiments ofplanter assembly 1 the top edge 14 of tray 9 does not extend above thetop edge 15 of planter housing 2. Also in FIG. 3, the sidewalls of tray9 appear to have a slight concave appearance, which is preferred but notcritical, and helps tray 9 to fit in a greater variety of sizes ofplanter housings 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectioned view of an embodiment of the planter assembly 1 inan assembled condition and showing tray 9 atop frame insert 10, and bothtray 9 and frame insert 10 positioned within planter housing 2. The legs13 of frame insert 10 engage the bottom interior surface 16 of planterhousing 2, and frame insert 10 is positioned substantially within thebottom portion 4 of planter housing 2 that functions as a reservoir.However, by necessity the top surface of frame insert 10 must bepositioned above the overfill prevention hole 3 that defines the top ofthe bottom reservoir portion 4 of planter housing 2, and three of thefour wicking members 7 shown in FIG. 2 are positioned atop thefluid-permeable material 8 covering the perforations 11 (visible underthe front edge of fluid-permeable material 8, but unmarked) in thebottom surface of tray 9. In addition, the holes 12 throughfluid-permeable material 8 are visible and marked in FIG. 4.

What is claimed is:
 1. A planter insert, comprising: a tray defining acontainment space for plant support media, the tray having a bottomsurface defining a plurality of perforations, at least one of theperforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, thetray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein thebottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of thesidewall, wherein excess fluid in the plant support media in thecontainment space exits the tray through the perforations in the bottomsurface.
 2. The planter insert of claim 1, further comprising: at leastone layer of fluid-permeable material covering the plurality ofperforations in the bottom surface of the tray, the at least one layerof fluid-permeable material defining at least one hole allowing forinsertion of the at least one wicking member, wherein each hole in theat least one layer of fluid permeable material is aligned with one ofthe perforations in the bottom surface of the tray.
 3. The planterinsert of claim 1, wherein the tray further includes at least twohandles depending from the sidewall.
 4. The planter insert of claim 1,wherein the tray has a circular cross-section.
 5. The planter insert ofclaim 1, the tray further including a top perimeter surface having aperimeter, the bottom surface having a perimeter, wherein the sidewallof the tray is downwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the topperimeter surface of the tray is larger than the perimeter of the bottomsurface of the tray.
 6. The planter insert of claim 5, wherein thesidewall of the tray is concave.
 7. The planter insert of claim 1,further comprising: a tray support, the tray support having a topsurface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when thebottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the traysupport.
 8. The planter insert of claim 7, the tray support furtherincluding at least one leg positioned beneath the top surface of thetray support.
 9. The planter insert of claim 8, wherein the at least oneleg is a plurality of downwardly converging legs.
 10. A planter insertassembly, comprising: a planter housing including an upper portion and abottom reservoir portion, the bottom reservoir portion having a bottominterior surface; a tray defining a containment space for plant supportmedia, wherein the tray is disposed within the upper portion of theplanter housing, the tray having a bottom surface with a plurality ofperforations, at least one of the perforations allowing for insertion ofat least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewallincluding a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the traydepends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and a tray supportdisposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, thetray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only bythe tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned onthe top surface of the tray support.
 11. The planter insert assembly ofclaim 10, further comprising: at least one layer of fluid-permeablematerial covering the plurality of perforations in the bottom surface ofthe tray, the at least one layer of fluid-permeable material defining atleast one hole for allowing insertion of the at least one wickingmember, wherein each hole in the at least one layer of fluid permeablematerial is aligned with one of the perforations in the bottom surfaceof the tray.
 12. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, wherein thetray further includes at least two handles depending from the sidewall.13. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, the tray support furtherincluding at least one leg positioned beneath the top surface of thetray support.
 14. The planter insert assembly of claim 13, wherein theat least one leg is a plurality of downwardly converging legs.
 15. Theplanter insert of claim 10, wherein the tray has a circularcross-section.
 16. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, the trayfurther including a top perimeter surface having a perimeter, the bottomsurface having a perimeter, wherein the sidewall of the tray isdownwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the top perimeter surfaceof the tray is larger than the perimeter of the bottom surface of thetray.
 17. The planter insert assembly of claim 16, wherein the sidewallof the tray is concave.
 18. The planter insert assembly of claim 16, theupper portion of the planter housing including a top perimeter edgehaving a perimeter, the bottom portion of the planter housing includinga bottom perimeter edge having a perimeter, wherein the planter housingis downwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the top perimeter edgeof the planter housing is larger than the perimeter of the bottomperimeter edge of the planter housing.
 19. The planter insert assemblyof claim 10, wherein the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housinghas a volume, wherein the containment space defined in the tray has avolume, wherein the volume of the bottom reservoir portion is at leasttwo times the volume of the containment space.
 20. The planter insertassembly of claim 10, the bottom reservoir portion of the planterhousing defining at least one fluid overfill hole, wherein fluid in thebottom reservoir portion rising to a height of the at least one fluidoverfill hole exits the planter insert assembly through the at least onefluid overfill hole.